Nitrate
City of Jacksonville
Nitrate, a fertilizer chemical, frequently contaminates drinking water due to agricultural and urban runoff, and discharges from municipal wastewater treatment plants and septic tanks. Excessive nitrate in water can cause oxygen deprivation in infants and increase the risk of cancer. Click here to read more about nitrate.
Samples
Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)
Samples exceeding
health guidelines
Testing results - average by year
| Year | Average result | Samples taken | Detections | Range of results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 0.0301 ppm | 7 | 7 | 0.0145 ppm - 0.0685 ppm |
| 2015 | 0.0278 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0175 ppm - 0.0365 ppm |
| 2016 | 0.0351 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0305 ppm - 0.0490 ppm |
| 2017 | 0.0312 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0259 ppm - 0.0369 ppm |
| 2018 | 0.0190 ppm | 5 | 4 | ND - 0.0271 ppm |
| 2019 | 0.0474 ppm | 6 | 6 | 0.0249 ppm - 0.144 ppm |
ppm = parts per million
State and national drinking water standards and health guidelines
EWG Health Guideline 0.14 ppm
The EWG Health Guideline of 0.14 ppm for nitrate was defined by EWG . This health guideline protects against cancer and harm to fetal growth and development.
EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL) 10 ppm
The legal limit for nitrate, established in 1962, was developed to protect infants from acute methemoglobinemia, a life-threatening disorder of oxygen transport in the body. This limit does not fully protect against the risk of cancer and harm to the developing fetus.
ppm = parts per million
All test results
| Date | Lab ID | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025029 | 0.0420 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025010 | 0.0290 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025009 | 0.0210 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025006 | 0.0175 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025005 | 0.0145 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025004 | 0.0685 ppm |
| 2014-01-15 | Q1401025002 | 0.0185 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | Q1504457009 | 0.0365 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | Q1504457013 | 0.0330 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | Q1504457008 | 0.0320 ppm |
| 2015-02-04 | Q1504457015 | 0.0175 ppm |
| 2015-04-30 | Q1516039002 | 0.0240 ppm |
| 2015-04-30 | Q1516039001 | 0.0235 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | Q1600962007 | 0.0305 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | Q1600963004 | 0.0325 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | Q1600963003 | 0.0355 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | Q1600963002 | 0.0320 ppm |
| 2016-01-12 | Q1600963001 | 0.0310 ppm |
| 2016-04-07 | Q1613965002 | 0.0490 ppm |
| 2017-01-09 | Q1700773002 | 0.0311 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | Q1709412046 | 0.0304 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | Q1709412020 | 0.0369 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | Q1709412019 | 0.0363 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | Q1709412018 | 0.0259 ppm |
| 2017-03-07 | Q1709412017 | 0.0266 ppm |
| 2018-09-13 | Q1836630005 | ND |
| 2018-11-12 | Q1845099018 | 0.0271 ppm |
| 2018-11-12 | Q1845099006 | 0.0223 ppm |
| 2018-11-12 | Q1845099010 | 0.0207 ppm |
| 2018-11-12 | Q1845099014 | 0.0248 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904613006 | 0.0326 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904613005 | 0.0249 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904613004 | 0.0249 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904613027 | 0.144 ppm |
| 2019-01-30 | Q1904613026 | 0.0297 ppm |
| 2019-07-02 | Q1941674007 | 0.0283 ppm |